Empire of Sound: Tune in to WRUU, Savannah’s new community radio station

“We created Savannah Soundings to bring local, community radio to Savannah,” the station’s mission statement says. “Our dream was to provide voice and visibility to the many outstanding local organizations, events, projects and people that aren’t covered by commercial radio.”

Among the programming, everyone will probably find something enjoyable, from talk radio to nigh every genre of music. Shortly after the station went live, I was driving home and turned the radio on, not having noticed the station (which is now the No. 2 favorite on my channel markers; GPB is always No. 1), and I heard punk. No one plays punk on the radio! WRUU apparently does.

It’s exactly this kind of unique programming that the station is looking to perpetuate.

The current schedule on Mondays, for example, starts the day out with classic rock at midnight, followed by alternative rock, bluegrass and Americana. At 10 a.m., “Democracy Now,” an independent, syndicated grassroots news hour, goes on. From noon to 12:05 p.m., “Finding Happiness” brings you five minutes of bliss. Then jazz and classical play you through the afternoon.

Emergent Savannah, a social organization of activists who host the popular monthly Monday Means Community event series, broadcasts “Emergent Radio” at 7 p.m. Mondays.

Sunday is a treat with Orlando Montoya’s “The Heart and The Hand” at 9 a.m. Montoya focuses on music that has unifying themes of peace, love, reason and social justice. At 1 p.m., the wonderful Josephine Johnson hosts her “Sister Sound” show, which explores women’s issues and voices in the Lowcountry.

This is only a small sample of the station’s programming, which is continually being updated. Have an idea for a show? You can send pitches in at the stations website (wruu.org). They do fall under the guidelines of the FCC, so rein in your craziest idea, make it family-friendly and pitch!

Tune in and if you enjoy, feel free to donate to the cause. Community radio doesn’t sell advertising, but they do have underwriters and work on donations and fundraising. All of which makes this a truly community effort.

Stay tuned, you might be hearing this writer on there someday. Perhaps I’ll share my love of really dark, thick heavy metal with you dainty folks.

Joshua Peacock is a freelance writer in Savannah. He studied playwriting and music at the University of Iowa. Contact him at joshua.rpeacock@gmail.com.